Team Walks Off

[dave111223]

I was shocked when i heard that during the Asean cup final 1st leg the Thai team had walked off the pitch and refused to play for 20mins because they didn't like the refs decision.

What shocks me even more is that instead of reading the Thai news this morning and seeing a public appology from the team, because of their terrible behavior, all i can see is justifications. Such as "It shouldn't have been a penalty", or "They just needed to calm down"? But no where can i find "Sorry we acted like pr*cks".

It seems like everyone thinks what they did was ok?

Imagine if the England team walked off the pitch after the Rooney red card in the WC, and refused to play for 20 minutes? We (Englishmen) would all be totally ashamed?

[Thaising]

Hopefully there won't be any ugly scene on the return match.

[esprit]

Seems to be some parrallels here between their actions and those of the Pakastani cricket team when they refused to walk back on because they disputed the unpires decision. Both were, in my view inappropriate actions to take but at least the Thai football team resumed the match so a positive result could be acheived.

Similarly like the Thai press there was also a considerable amount of justification for their teams actions in the Pakastani press.

At the recent Melbourne open the players were allowed to question the umpires call twice per set and it could be seen, not unsurprisingly, that sometimes they were right and sometimes they were wrong. Perhaps football and cricket should go the same way and thus some hotly disputed decisions could become tranparent to all the participants. Only an idea

[PhilHarries]

I read this with utter incredulity this morning. I have never seen, nor heard of this, in the EPL but I believe it has happened in South America.

I don't know enough about the fine points of the rules but shouldn't the ref have allowed Singapore to take the penalty and kick the ball into the empty net than wait patiently at the centre spot for the Thai team?

Also could the Thai team not be charged with some form of unacceptable behaviour and be made to play the next match behind closed doors or maybe, in deference to the tournament, be made to offer a public apology to their hosts?

A bit draconian I agree, and a sad end to a fine tournament, but this behaviour has to be stopped, otherwise will every team abandon the pitch for 15 minutes every time they disagree with the ref? Football matches would then last around 4 hours, bit like gridiron .

[Berty]

Bunch of cry babies.....

But they'll be big men playing on their home turf.

[ashacat]

The way the Thai players acted was an utter disgrace. Maybe the decision was a bit crap, but thats football!! Some decisions will go your way others won't, to walk off the pitch and sulk is absolutely pathetic. I was embarrased to be supporting them.

[Prakanong]

I live in Singapore but wanted Thasiland to win

Now I hope they get their <deleted> smacked.

Thailand - run by children

A country going down the drain and being left behind - I love the place but its just getting worse.

[Casanundra]

Just another representative view from Thailand of showing disgust towards Singapore for past actions done.

This was not about football, this was about politics and how Thailand continues to try and shove other Asean nations around with regards to former actions associated with a former PM.

Just out of curiosity, which country was the ref from?

[MissAnge]

I have had a big discussion about this with my students (11 -12 year olds) who of course think it was

perfectly acceptable to walk off as the umpire was cheating - he was malaysian and he was getting back at thailand because they lost to them earlier in the tournament - was a comment from one boy.

Professional athletes my butt - an absolute disgrace. Action should be taken and they should follow with a huge fine and an apology.

[Jai Dee]

Thailand coach keeping quiet over walkout

SINGAPORE, January 31 (Asean Football Championship) - Thailand coach Chanvit Polochivin refused to comment on his team's controversial walkout on Wednesday after they went down 2-1 to Singapore in the first leg of the Asean Football Championship final.

The Thais walked off the pitch in the 82nd minute, protesting the decision of Malaysian referee C.Ravichandran to award a penalty to the defending champions after Noh Alam Shah went down in the box under challenge from Niweat Siriwong.

They remained off the field for 15 minutes until team manager Thavatchai Sajakul intervened and convinced the team to continue playing.

Mustafic Fahruddin promptly dispatched the spot kick to hand the Thais their first defeat against Singapore in a competitive international for 30 years.

Chanvit showed up for the post-match press conference but remained for only 10 seconds, saying: 'Our comment today is that we have no comment. You can see everything that happened on the field, so we have no comment today.'

Team manager Thavatchai later said that he would be lodging a protest with the Asean Football Federation, declaring that the incident had not been instigated by his own team.

Local organising committee chairman Mohammed Muzzammil said that the AFF will be investigating the matter before commenting further.

'We will wait for the match commissioner to submit his report,' he said. 'The AFF will then discuss the matter before determining if any further action should be taken.'

While the Thais were up in arms over Ravichandran's decision, Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic felt that his side deserved the victory on merit.

'A win is a win and I felt that we fully deserved our victory tonight,' said the Serbian.

'We got a great first goal from Noh Alam Shah and the penalty I felt was a punishment for the Thais because they were using their hands all the time during the game.

'I didn't see the incident clearly but they were using their hands all the time to pull back our players. There was even an incident earlier in the second half when Alam Shah was pulled back which should have been a penalty.

'But I felt that our players did really well tonight. Congratulations to them and the people who came out to support us.'

Avramovic was far from pleased with the Thai reaction to the penalty decision.

'I think it was a joke,' he said. 'I just told my players to keep their focus and keep themselves ready because I felt sure they would come back.'

A fiery atmosphere can be expected from the Thai fans in Bangkok on Sunday evening when Singapore will look to defend their lead in the second leg but Avramovic does not believe that the situation will get to his charges.

'I think for me, this is sport and there are 11 players on each side who will play the game. Whatever happens on the terrace is something for somebody else to control,' he said.

'Our players have already played a few games in those sorts of surrounding so I don't expect that it will be a big thing for them.'

Source: Soccernet - 1 February 2007

[pampal]

It's another sad day for the Thai.

Although I don't agree with walking off the pitch, this can be avoided by having a european or non asian referee. Take away their excuses by not having an Asian referee.

[Prakanong]

It's another sad day for the Thai.

Although I don't agree with walking off the pitch, this can be avoided by having a european or non asian referee. Take away their excuses by not having an Asian referee.

Sorry but <deleted> about the nationality of the referee

Thailand are a disgrace and and should be banned from even trying for international competitions (as though they could even qualify)

In their own country they are bullies - outside wimpy cowards

[t.s]

... my students (11 -12 year olds) who of course think it was

perfectly acceptable to walk off as the umpire was cheating - he was malaysian and he was getting back at thailand because they lost to them earlier in the tournament - was a comment from one boy.

Thailand, xenophobic? Nah....

Faced by any sort of international criticism for their lack of sportsmanship you know what the answer will be: "we don't need you. mind your own business"

[MarkBKK]

Deliberately leaving the pitch without the referee's permission is a yellow card. They should all have been booked at least. I'm pretty sure that staying off is also bookable, but I'm not certain. If it is, they should all have received a second yellow and been sent off (although the yellow for leaving the pitch would have been a second booking for some of them, wouldn't it?). Thailand would then have forfeited game, with the score at that time standing. Further penalties could then be imposed by the governing FA.

[Tywais]

Moved to football/soccer forum.

[Payboy]

this behaviour is not uncommon from other thai sportsmen whenever it becomes evident that the other side is winning! paradon almost always forfeits citing injury when it looks as if he is being overcome by lesser opponents. thai boxing is another example. i have seen such things happening at all levels - school or university games, company events, etc.

last nights penalty kick award was the nail in the coffin on a closely fought match - and in a characteristic way the thai team tried to save face by creating a controversy instead of accepting that they were outplayed.

must be the way in which these kids are brought up by their parents saying "kaeng-maak luk" all the time. it reflects in their politics too - if we cant win, we'll change the rules - so there.

[penguin]

Unless you're Thai and blinded by patriotic loyalty then anyone seeing the Thai team walk off as they did would find it unacceptable. Should have yellow carded the lot of them with a second yellow if they didn't return and while waiting for them to return the ref could have let the Singapore team play on and score another goal. Thailand was lucky the ref was Malaysian, a European referee would not have been so lenient. The manager should be sacked (but he won't be) for allowing his team to walk off. I'm interested to see if the tournament organisers take any further action because you can't let any team go unpunished for a show of bad sportsmanship like we saw last night. A real low point for Thai football.

[Lil_Jon]

Its nothing but just a group of P*****S trying to act tough

[Spit the Dog]

I was also disappointed with the Thai players reaction. For the penalty decision there was minimal contact and it was a soft penalty to concede but these things happen in sport. Some decisions go your way some don't but overall they should even themselves out. The Thai players have to act like men when a decision goes against them. Not act like kids and walk off the pitch sulking. There was still 8 minutes left to play and with a second leg home advantage the game is still very much in the favour of the Thais. At the end of the day, all that Thailand achieved from walking off the pitch was to look like a third rate footballing nation.

I was looking forward to going to the second match in Bangkok on Sunday to give my support to Thailand. If they are going to behave like they did last night then do they really deserve support from local ex-pats like myself? Let's hope that Thailand go and win this game playing football the way it should be played.

[maccaroni man]

has thailand ever qualified for a world cup?

[Mid]

Team Walks Off, Public seems to think it normal?

the country has never been conquered .....................

[thedude]

Team Walks Off, Public seems to think it normal?

the country has never been conquered .....................

nice one mid, my quote of the day.

[binnsy]

Deliberately leaving the pitch without the referee's permission is a yellow card. They should all have been booked at least. I'm pretty sure that staying off is also bookable, but I'm not certain. If it is, they should all have received a second yellow and been sent off (although the yellow for leaving the pitch would have been a second booking for some of them, wouldn't it?). Thailand would then have forfeited game, with the score at that time standing. Further penalties could then be imposed by the governing FA.

As stated leaving the field of play with out the ref's permission is a yellow card.entering the field of play with out the ref's permission is also a yellow.

you need 7 player on the pitch or you have to abandon the game.and let the powers of B sort it out.

FIFA RULES

[ashacat]

I was looking forward to going to the second match in Bangkok on Sunday to give my support to Thailand. If they are going to behave like they did last night then do they really deserve support from local ex-pats like myself?

I was planning to go as well, I seriously they don't pull that sort of sh-it again.

[Payboy]

Team Walks Off, Public seems to think it normal?

the country has never been conquered .....................

but was forfeited to the japanese, no!

[Mid]

Team Walks Off, Public seems to think it normal?

the country has never been conquered .....................

but was forfeited to the japanese, no!

no

the invitation went unanswered .........................

[jbsears]

Does FIFA have any power to penalize the team for their actions in the ASEAN tournament? Do they have the authority to take points away from the team's World Cup qualifying? If so, something has to be done. With no punishment, it is just letting all the young footballers in ASEAN think that this behavior is acceptable.

[PREM-R]

Team Walks Off, Public seems to think it normal?

the country has never been conquered .....................

Never conquered? don't the CHINESE Thais own most of the land and control most of the money?

[Mid]

Team Walks Off, Public seems to think it normal?

the country has never been conquered .....................

Never conquered? don't the CHINESE Thais own most of the land and control most of the money?

[Ned]

Just showed a total disdain for the rules of football. Our hosts don't have much time for any rules, as we all know. Road rules for example. What the f*** are they?

The guy who pushed the ref should have given a red on the spot. The Thais should have been given no more than a couple of minutes to get back on the field. Failing that the game should have been terminated and the championship awarded to Singapore. No return match in Bangkok!! In addition Thailand should be banned from international competition for a number of years. I was just looking at the Thai Rath newspaper and all they seem to be going on about was that they were cheated.

I hope the singapore mob can get away with at least a draw on Sunday. The crowd scenes will be ugly whatever the result, no doubt about it.

What a disgrace they are.